In has now become a matter of routine to use microfluidic and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) in the design of many types of structures. Some of these structures, for one reason or another, require that a measured amount of liquid be inserted within the structure during the manufacturing process.
For example, one such structure that requires liquid is an electromechanical microswitch that uses liquid metal, such as mercury, or gallium, or indium alloys, and the like, to selectively bridge across electrical contacts to complete (or open) an electrical path. In such switches a cavity is created within the switch and the cavity is filled with the liquid metal. The above-identified co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/130,846, filed May 17, 2005, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING A MICROSWITCH WITH LIQUID METAL”, is an example of a method of delivering a measured amount of liquid to a device using pressure to transfer the liquid from a measuring reservoir to the device. In high volume production, this liquid filling operation can become costly and mechanically difficult to achieve, especially when it is required to deliver the liquid under pressure to the structure.